


Who Can I Run To?

by kmoaton



Series: Bingo Fills [7]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Attempted Sexual Assault, Human Inuyasha, Language, M/M, Minor Character Death, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-09
Updated: 2013-07-09
Packaged: 2017-12-18 04:35:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/875697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kmoaton/pseuds/kmoaton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inuyasha finds himself in a spot of trouble on his human night and Sesshomaru helps him out.  A change in their relationship is inevitable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who Can I Run To?

**Author's Note:**

> Written for HC Bingo. Prompt used - Hospital Stay. A/N : In Feudal Japan, wealthy, private homes had their own healers (doctors) and their own wings for patients to stay and be treated.

Inuyasha tried not to choke on the words as he stood before Sesshomaru. He knew he was a mess, his dark hair matted with dirt and leaves not to mention the bruises that decorated his golden skin. At sunrise, the bruises would disappear but the shame he was currently feeling would last forever. While grateful for Sesshomaru’s assistance, Inuyasha was beyond mortified. Even though they had buried the bad blood between them after the defeat of Naraku, so many things lingered between them. It was hard to escape the demons of the past and through an unspoken but mutual agreement, the past was never mentioned.

ooOOoo

Years passed in the blink of an eye for Inuyasha and with them, all the humans he had grown to love. Inuyasha had taken to wandering again. Brokenhearted after Kagome disappeared through the well, he would check into the village from time to time but his soul was too restless to stay still. He went back to the days of his youth, occasionally running into Sesshomaru but barely acknowledging his presence. Inuyasha refused to give in to the feelings that were calling him to become closer to Sesshomaru. Myoga had warned him once Kagome was gone, he would feel the pull of developing a stronger family bond with his remaining family. It was the reason he couldn’t stay away from Sango, Miroku or Kaede for too long, after all, they had become his substitute family but now it seemed there was a yearning to become closer to his brother.

It was his human night when Inuyasha ran into trouble. As strong as Inuyasha was, even as a human, he couldn’t fight off six men at once. Soon, he was tied up and dragged through the woods at the mercy of bandits. It was just after dark, meaning there were hours before he could free himself from the tortures that were certainly about to visit him.

ooOOoo

After traveling for an hour, the bandits stopped for the night. Inuyasha was propped against a tree, his wrists chaffed and sore from the tight bonds and his shoulders aching from being pulled behind his back. His ribs ached from the beating he took when he was first captured and Inuyasha was certain he probably sported the beginning of a black eye. The smell of roasting meat caused his stomach to growl but the bandits ignored their captive. Full of drink and food, the men went in search of a nearby village to find women. As the boisterous laughter faded into the distance, the bandit leader callously grabbed Inuyasha by his haori and dragged him deeper into the dark brush. Unceremoniously, Inuyasha was dumped on the hard ground and the bandit fell on him, pulling at his clothes.  
“Get the fuck offa me!” Inuyasha shouted as he tried vainly to fight against the assault. The bandit gave an evil chuckle as he stripped Inuyasha of his hakama.

“You fighting is going to make it worse! You should be glad I’m the only one who wanted to taste your handsome flesh…,” he practically purred as his rough hands caressed Inuyasha’s unwilling body.  
Even with his legs tangled in his pants, Inuyasha continued to fight. The cool night air against his now bare bottom warned Inuyasha of his assailant’s success in removing his fundoishi. Still bucking and trying to kick as the bandit’s hand touched his flaccid member, Inuyasha refused to accept the very real possible that he was getting ready to be taken against his will.

Tired of the cursing and fighting man beneath him, the bandit punched Inuyasha several times in rapid succession in the face. Satisfied to see him shortly still and stunned, the bandit positioned himself between Inuyasha’s legs and leaned close.

“I tole ya this could have been easy but since you seem to like it rough…,” The bandits word’s were cut off when Inuyasha head butted the bandit. He quickly recovered, however, and hit Inuyasha several more times, splitting his lip and ensuring that his eye was thoroughly blackened. A couple of hard hits to the already sore ribs caused Inuyasha to see stars as pain shot through his body. Dazed, there was little Inuyasha could do as his now furious captor positioned himself once again. Inuyasha closed his eyes as he tried to prepare himself for the savage pain  
.  
There was a small cry of surprise and Inuyasha’s eyes flew open to see the bandit fly through the air. Still slightly punch drunk, Inuyasha could only stare in shock as he watched Sesshomaru rake the man’s chest with his claws full of poison. The man’s screams rent the night as Sesshomaru approached his partially dressed brother. A swift swipe of his claws removed the bonds of Inuyasha’s wrists. He also helped the wobbly Inuyasha stand and turned his back as the young one returned his clothes to their rightful place.

Now standing in front of Sesshomaru, feeling only marginally like himself, Inuyasha knew he had to say SOMETHING. ‘Thank you’ seemed so insignificant but what else was there? The idea he had to thank his pompous brother for literally saving his ass rankled. He swallowed and gagged slightly at the taste of blood from his cut lip.

“So…uh…well…thanks.” He mumbled.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow but otherwise didn’t verbally acknowledge he even heard Inuyasha’s reluctant apology. He wasn’t completely sure why he even felt the need to keep an eye on Inuyasha but throughout the years, he would make sure his little brother was within his senses, especially on the moonless nights. On this particular night, Sesshomaru was late leaving his home due to unavoidable business. When he finally caught Inuyasha’s scent in the wind along with the grimy smell of the human bandits in the wind, a morsel of panic set in. As he got closer, the smell of Inuyasha’s blood filled the air. An unexpected rage filled Sesshomaru when he found them and he saw the position Inuyasha was currently in. 

Moving with demonic speed, he pulled the man of the bound hanyou. Staring at the doomed man, Sesshomaru deeply gouged his claws into the man’s chest, filling him with a painful and lethal dose of poison. As the screams of the dying man filled the night, Sesshomaru assessed his half-brother. Blood dribbled down his chin from his wounded mouth and Sesshomaru could see the bruises developing on his face. His breathing was ragged, Sesshomaru also noted, possible due to bruised or broken ribs and Inuyasha was barely focusing. It was plainly obvious that once the adrenaline wore off, Inuyasha would pass out where he stood. While Sesshomaru knew he would heal with the sunrise, it was still hours until that time. Deciding quickly, Sesshomaru announced.

“You are returning to my home.”

Inuyasha stared at Sesshomaru, speechless for a moment. He had never been near Sesshomaru’s home. He knew it was forests of Edo but he made it a point to never venture near the “hallowed halls”. Frowning at the sudden invite, Inuyasha felt his hackles rise. 

“Thanks but no thanks. I’ll find somewhere to hole up until morning.”

Sesshomaru’s eyes widened slightly at Inuyasha’s refusal but he was not completely surprised. Even though their relationship had improved since Naraku’s death, it was far from a close familial relationship. It was obvious that his little brother was in no shape to be out in the wilds until morning. The smell of his blood would draw out opportunistic demons looking for wounded prey. In addition, when the bandits returned and found their leader dead and a missing captive, they would scour the woods looking for Inuyasha.

“It wasn’t a request, Inuyasha. Even if you refuse to accept your current situation, the fact remains you are in no condition to remain here overnight.”

Struggling to remain on his feet, Inuyasha had to concede defeat. He knew he wouldn’t get far with his injuries and he was all too aware of the dangers that lurked in the night for hapless humans or injured half-demons. 

“Look, I’ll be fine! It’s not the first time I’ve been hurt on my human night!” He complained. Walking over to fire, Inuyasha bent over to grab his sword from the stolen items of the bandits. Groaning as he stood back up, Inuyasha tried to hide his pain from the perceptive eyes of his brother. Bending over had set his side on fire and Inuyasha was almost ready to agree with his brother. Stubborn as ever, however, he flatly refused to see the wisdom in accepting Sesshomaru’s help. Having been on his own for the majority of his life, Inuyasha had a hard time coming to terms with a realistic offer for help. 

Hearing the almost imperceptible groan from Inuyasha, Sesshomaru refused to broach any more argument. Grabbing Inuyasha’s lithe frame, Sesshomaru quickly transformed into a ball of energy and shot into the night sky. 

ooOOoo

Woozy from the earlier beating, blood loss, and now the rapid transport courtesy of Sesshomaru, Inuyasha was torn between passing out or throwing up. Feeling too ill to protest the means of transportation, he was carried into a grand castle. In his haze, he could hear Sesshomaru barking out orders to different people. In the back of his mind, he wondered how many of them were stunned to see their lord carrying a human. His other thought was how would he get out the castle in the morning without alerting the whole freaking world.

Inuyasha’s next clear thought was realizing he was lying on something comfortable. The room was dimly lit with oil-filled lanterns and a strong fragrance filled the room. One eye was swollen shut and with the other, he could see someone bustling around the room. The person turned and moved towards Inuyasha, holding a large container. Inuyasha moved to get away but his aching ribs protested and he sunk back into the comfortable cushioned futon, frustrated with his helplessness. Seeing this action, the demon addressed Inuyasha.

“My lord, there is no need to fear. My name is Chiryō-shi, I am Lord Sesshomaru’s personal healer. You are in the healing wing of the shiro. He has sent me to bind your ribs and to help you rest until morning.”

A groan escaped Inuyasha’s lips as he successful sat up, clutching his ribs. “How do I know you aren’t trying to kill me?”

“Because, little brother,” Sesshomaru stated from behind him. “If I wanted you dead, I could have just left you where I found you.”  
Inuyasha scowled and muttered under his breath. Another reason he hated being human was the fact that things could get the slip on him. Without his demonic senses, he didn’t realize Sesshomaru entered the room. It only served to aggravate him more.

“Look, I don’t need anything. I’ll be fine come morning then I’ll get out of your hair.”

Sesshomaru moved to stand next to Chiryō-shi, who was holding a small bowl filled with a dark liquid. 

“I need you to take this, Lord Inuyasha. It’ll ease some of your pains and help you rest.” Chiryō-shi said, holding out the bowl.

Inuyasha glared at the healer. “Just call me Inuyasha and no thanks. Just let me rest.”

Sesshomaru sighed. “Inuyasha, do I need to treat you like a child and force you to take this?”

Inuyasha stared at his brother. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Raising a brow, Sesshomaru replied. “I would dare. You can take the medicine yourself or we can force it down your throat.”

Furious that he couldn’t fight Sesshomaru on this, Inuyasha reluctantly took the bowl from the healer’s extended hand. Pouring the liquid quickly down his throat, Inuyasha gagged at the horrid taste. 

“What in the hell was that?” He asked as he lay back down on the futon’s cushions.

Hiding a smile, Chiryō-shi took the bowl. “It was simply herbs to help ease your pain and to help you rest, nothing more.”

Inuyasha could feel the effects of the liquid. He felt languid and his eyes were heavy. The pain from his ribs was fading and before he could think of anything else, Inuyasha had drifted off. 

Sesshomaru sat in corner chair, watching his brother sleep while Chiryō-shi cleaned Inuyasha’s facial wounds, set his ribs, and bound them tightly to prevent them from moving while the human slept. 

“How long will he sleep?”

Pulling a blanket over the sleeping human, the healer checked him one last time. “I gave him twice the normal dosage, which is why it worked so quickly. He will transform in the morning but he will probably sleep until the afternoon. Even with his healing ability, those ribs will need additional healing time before he goes bounding off into the woods.”

With a nod, Sesshomaru dismissed the healer. Turning off the lanterns in the room, the low light from the remains of the fireplace provided him with enough illumination to keep an eye on the sleeping Inu. 

Sesshomaru contemplated the turn of events. He surprised himself when he offered Inuyasha shelter. True, he watched over his little brother on his human nights but Sesshomaru had never been moved to invite him to his home. Things had changed for them but so many things remained the same. The hatred was gone but it irritated Sesshomaru that Inuyasha did not completely trust him. It was evident when Inuyasha was willing to take his chances, injured, in the wilderness than come to a safe shelter, at least until morning. 

As the years had passed, Sesshomaru was coming to realize that like it or not, Inuyasha was all the family he had besides his mother. With Japan changing rapidly, Sesshomaru was shrewd enough to realize demons would have to learn to live with humans or face extinction. At the same time, Sesshomaru also knew he needed to maintain connections with his family. He was going to figure out a  
way to maintain the line of Inutashio and instinctively he knew that Inuyasha would be a key player. 

ooOOoo

When Inuaysha woke up, he was stunned to see the sun high in the sky. Usually, his transformation would awaken him with the sunrise. Confused for a moment on his location, his demonic senses noted Sesshomaru’s scent along with another demon’s and he recalled his circumstances. Gingerly, he touched his ribs. Through the binding, he could feel they were healed but still tender. His clothes were sitting neatly folded on the table. As he moved to get dressed, the screen slid back and Chiryō-shi walked in.

“Good afternoon. Before you get dressed, I would like to check your ribs.”

Inuyasha protested. “But they feel fine.”

Patting a high examination table, Chiryō-shi tossed Inuyasha a robe. “I’m sure they do. I take great pride in my work but you know as well as I do your brother. He will not let you leave until you are thoroughly examined.”

Sighing, Inuyasha knew the healer was right. He had no desire to prolong this stay and the quickest way to be gone was to let Chiryō-shi do the examination. Pulling on the robe, he moved to the table.

“Let’s get it over with.”

ooOOoo

The examination was nearly finished when Sesshomaru reported to the healer’s wing. He could hear Inuyasha protesting something and the calm voice of Chiryō-shi reassuring him. 

“Ah, my lord, your brother has healed beautifully. I would like him to come back in a fortnight for me to check on those ribs. They are still tender and I want to make sure they are healing correctly.”

Inuyasha scowled. “I told him they would be fine. I’ve had worse injuries and I’ve recovered without anyone fawning over me!”

Although Sesshomaru’s face did not show it, internally he shook his head over his brother’s protest. “You will return even if I have to come find you and bring you back.”

Inuyasha paled. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Allowing a hint of fang to show, Sesshomaru stared into Inuyasha’s eyes. “You know I will dare. Didn't we have this discussion earlier.”

Huffing, Inuyasha folded his arms and looked away. “Fine! Now will you two get out so I can get dressed?”

Chiryō-shi laughed and Sesshomaru shook his head but they moved behind the screen. Inuyasha quickly dressed and making sure he had his sword, he moved the screen. Once again, he found himself in the position of having to say thank you and it was no easier this time around.

“So…um…thank you for the help…again.” Inuyasha blushed. “Just show me the way out and I’ll be out of your way.”

Chiryō-shi bowed and moved to the other side of the screen. Sesshomaru said nothing but indicated with a tilt of his head for Inuyasha to follow him. Neither said a word as they moved through the halls of the shiro. Inuyasha was surprised not to see many people but with it being afternoon, most of them were people working on chores. The few they encountered stared at him for a moment before bowing to Sesshomaru. He knew they were curious but frankly, he found their stares unnerving and he was more than ready to get out of there. 

Once they reached the gate, Sesshomaru turned to address Inuyasha.

“You will return in a fortnight to be examined.” 

His scowl returned but Inuyasha agreed. “I told you I would. I keep my word.”

There was a pause then Inuyasha moved to leave. “I’ll see you then.” 

Sesshomaru’s next words stopped Inuyasha in his tracks. “You know you will always be welcome in my home.”

Inuyasha turned to stare at Sesshomaru. Shock and skepticism covered his face.

“Why? Why would you want me in your home?”

Sesshomaru’s face was impassive. “It is time we began to develop a true familial relationship. Times are changing in Japan and we need to become an united front.”

Inuyasha frowned. He was overwhelmed now by the invitation and Sesshomaru’s reasoning behind it. He couldn’t put his finger on it but Inuyasha knew something else was coming into to play. He turned and started walking to the gate. 

“We’ll see. I’ll be back when the time comes. Maybe we can discuss it then.”

Sesshomaru watched as Inuyasha walked into the forest and soon disappeared. He knew Inuyasha would return but in the meantime, he needed to work on a more convincing strategy. He had a fortnight to figure out a way to convince Inuyasha to stay. Their future depended on it.


End file.
